Venezuela Routs Japan 7-1, Takes Perfect Record Into U-23 Super Round

Venezuela beat defending champion Japan 7-1 on Tuesday night in Masaya, Nicaragua, winning Group B with a perfect 5-0 record and carrying the maximum 2-0 mark into the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup Super Round.

• Final: Venezuela 7, Japan 1
• Group B: Venezuela 5-0, Japan 4-1, Korea advances in third
• Super Round carryover: Venezuela 2-0, Japan 1-1, Korea 0-2

Five-run first inning decides unbeaten showdown

Both teams entered the final opening-round game at 4-0, but Venezuela took control before Japan could settle into the contest. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases in the first inning, and Johnfrank Salazar opened the scoring with an RBI single.

Diego González added a sacrifice fly before Giovanny Rivero and Brailin Antúnez delivered run-scoring doubles. By the end of the inning, Venezuela had scored five runs against Japan starter Kosei Mori and turned a matchup of unbeaten teams into a chase.

Venezuela added another run in the second inning and finished with 11 hits. Japan managed only four hits against five Venezuelan pitchers.

Natsuki Fujiwara supplied Japan’s only run with a solo homer in the bottom of the second. It was also the first run Venezuela had allowed in the tournament after opening with four consecutive shutouts against South Africa, Great Britain, Korea and Cuba.

The Venezuelan bullpen did not permit another run. José García earned the win, while Mori took the loss after the damaging opening inning.

Venezuela earns a major Super Round advantage

The result was worth more than first place in Group B. Under the tournament format, results between teams that advance from the same opening-round group carry into the Super Round.

Venezuela therefore brings wins over both Japan and Korea into the next stage and begins at 2-0. Japan carries its win over Korea and the loss to Venezuela for a 1-1 record, while Korea starts 0-2.

That advantage matters in a six-team Super Round in which each country plays only the three qualifiers from the opposite group. The top two teams after the carryover and Super Round games advance to the world championship final.

Japan entered the game as the No. 1 team in the WBSC world ranking and had survived close extra-inning games against Great Britain and Korea before beating Cuba and South Africa. Venezuela, ranked No. 5, had not trailed in four shutout victories and then produced its biggest offensive inning of the tournament against the defending U-23 champion.

The 7-1 win is a distinct new step in Venezuela’s tournament run: qualification was already secured, but the perfect opening round and 2-0 carryover position now give the team the clearest path from Group B to the medal games.